Each year I spend some time asking the Lord to reveal a key thought or a key verse to guide my times of Bible reading, prayer, and daily devotions. This year the word “Flourish” has come to mind, especially in the context of Psalm 1. It reminds me of the words of Jesus in John 10:10, promising that he comes to us so that we might experience an abundant life; that we might experience all that God has for us, independent of our outward circumstances.

The year 2021 has not moved out from under the shadow of Covid-19 and all of the adjustments we have made. However, as we continue to hope in the Lord there is a sense that He has something specific and special for us in what will be a “new normal”

There are things that the person who wants to experience the abundance of a God-centered life must do. As with many promises in the Word of God, there are things to avoid: Do not walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way sinners take, or sit in the seat of scoffers. There are also two things that are key to experiencing God in all of His fulness: Delighting in the law of the Lord and meditating upon it day and night.

The person who keeps their mind focused on God’s Word will experience abundance; they will flourish and be like a sturdy oak planted by a bubbling brook that sustains it and feeds it. This person will have roots that go down deep enough to withstand the fiercest storm, or a canopy rich enough to provide protection against the scorching heat of the summer sun. They will flourish in the knowledge that “the Lord watches over the way of the righteous” (verse 6), and be able to face all that is to come in what continues to be a pandemic-influenced year.